Adjustable support.



PATENTED AUG. 13, 1907.

P. P. SWART. ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT.

APPLIUATION FILED APR. 30.1906.

` AT1-Y INVENTGR:

'fl/M llllllllll PHILIP F. SWART, OF BROGKPORT, NEW YORK.

ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT.

S pecication of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 13, 1907.

Application filed April 30,1906. Serial No. 314,472.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, PHILIP F. SWART, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brockport, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented anew and Improved Adjustable Support, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to adjustable means for supporting articles from and above a suitable shelf, table or counter.

The object of my invention is to provide a support which shall be adjustable as to height` and it may also be adjustable so as to support an obj ect thereon, within a moderate range, at any desired angle relative to the shelf, counter or table.

Another object of my invention is to provide such an adjustable support with means whereby the height of the support, as well as the angle relative to the Shelf,

table or counter, may be adjusted either from the underl side or from the upper side of such shelf or table, as desired.

My invention comprises two standards vertically adjustable in suitable guides connected to such shelf, table or counter and connected by a cross piece or plate, with which they articulate for the purpose of adjusting the angle of the supported cross plate relatively to the shelf or table, each of such standards being adjustable to any height. The height also of the cross piece may be adjusted within a moderate limit.

In carrying out my present invention, I provide two vertical standards with ratchets thereon arranged to be engaged by suitable spring pawls carried and supported by the guiding mechanism for such standardsv and operating to hold the same in any desired position of vertical adjustment. For operating these pawls, to release them from the ratchets, I provide operating rods extending above the surface of the table or shelf and carried by the casting, comprising the guiding mechanisms and their connections, and these pawls I also provide with operating handles beneath the shelf or table in order that such pawls may be operated entirely from the under side of the table when desired.

The accompanying drawings illustrate that embodiment of my invention adapted to supporting small articles at different angles relatively to, and at different distances above a shelf, such as may receive any suitable support in a show case or similar place where goods or articles may be exhibited.

Figure l shows in elevation an adjustable shelf in accordance with my invention and with parts broken away, as will be explained, to more clearly illustrate the construction and operation of some of the features thereof. Fig. 2 shows in perspective one of the locking latches, while Fig. 3 shows a view from the under side of the shelf and with parts broken away, as will be explained.

A shelf A, of any suitable material and adapted to be supported in the desired location by a bracket or in any similar way not shown, has secured on the under side thereof the plate B. This plate B has, preferably formed integrally therewith, two cylindrical guides B1 and B2, which extend upwardly through suitable openings therefor in the shelf A and are threaded at their upper ends to receive the nuts D1 and D2 respectively, by means of which the plate B with the standard carrying guides B and B2 is firmly secured to such shelf A. Cylindrical supporting rods C1 and G2, adapted to slide freely through guides B1 and B2 respectively, are arranged to be engaged and held in any desired vertical adjustment by means of the, preferably spring actuated, pawls t1 and t2, pivoted on the pins r1 and r2 respectively, secured in the webs b1 and b2, projecting inwardly from the guides B1 and B2 and connecting also at their upper ends with the plate B. These brackets or webs b1 and b2 have respectively, at their lower ends, lateral extensions el and e2 nearly or quite similar in conformation with the extensions nl and n2 respectively on the latches t1 and Z2, in order to provide means for engagement by the thumb and finger of the operator, when it is desired to operate the latches t1 and t2 from the under side of the shelf A. These latches t1 and t2 are arranged to engage suitable ratchet teeth provided therefor on the inner and opposing faces of the supporting rods C1 and G2 respectively.

For operating the latches t1 and t2 from the upper side of the shelf A, when desired, there are provided two suitable push bolts c1 and c2, extending through suitable openings therefor in the shelf A and guided by suitable holes in the plate B and also suitable holes in the lateral extensions el and e2 respectively, formed on the webs b1 and b. Springs d1 and d2 are provided also for holding the latches t1 and t2 respectively in place, such springs d1 and Z2 encircling and held in place by the push bolts c1 and c2, which in turn are provided with suitable pins ol and o2 passing therethrough and supporting the push bolts c1 and c2 respectively from the upper side of the latches t1 and t2. These push bolts c1 and c2 are enlarged slightly at their lower ends to prevent their being forced upwardly through the lateral extensions e1 and e2 on the webs b1 and b2.

The right hand nut D2 is shown in vertical section in Fig. l, and in Fig. 3 the lower portion of the web b2l with the projection e2 thereon is broken` away to show the latch t2 with the projection n2 thereon.

The standards C1 and C2 are widened laterally at their upper ends and carry short horizontal slots il and i2 to receive the screw bolts h1 and h2 respectively, passing through and threaded into the farther one of each pair of supporting ears E1 and E2 formed on the under side of the plate C. The slots t1 and i2 are provided in order that the supporting plate G may be adjusted to any desired angle, as indicated. Part of that one of the right hand pair of ears E2 next to the observer is seen as broken away in Fig. l to show the slot 'i2 in the iiattened upper end o the supporting rod C2.

In attaching my support to any suitable sheli, holes are bored therethrough to receive the threaded upper ends of the guides Bl and B2 and also the push rods c1 and c2. The nuts Dl and D2 are screwed down iirmly, clamping the shelf A between such nuts and the plate B. The supporting and guiding rods Cl and C2 carry ing the supporting plate C are next inserted within the guides B1 and B2 and adjusted to the desired height, the pawls t1 and t2 operating to hold the guidingl and supporting rods C and C2 in any desired position oi vertical adjustment. A

In Fig. l I have shown a projection or stop c3 adapting the supporting plate C to use in exhibiting shoes, slippers or like articles, the stop c3 arranged to engage under the instep of the shoe and against the forward edge oi the heel, to prevent the shoe from sliding downwardly and to the left when the plate C is adjustable for displaying the shoes, preferably to a position similar to that indicated in dotted lines at c* in Fig. l. It will of course be understood that the supporting cross plate C may receive any desired conformation adapting the same to any of the special uses for which my device may be employed.

What I claim is In combination with two guideways adapted to be secured to a suitable shelf or table, supporting bars adapted to slide in such guideways and articulating at their upper ends with a suitable cross plate by connections permitting vertical adjustment of each of such bars independently of the other, each of such bars provided with ratchet teeth, each of such guideways carrying a pawl adapted to engage the teeth on the corresponding supporting bar, such pawls supported below such shelf and adapted to be engaged by the hand of the operator from below the shelf, for each of such pawls a coiled spring having one end supported by a fixed member carried by the corresponding guideway and having its other end engaging such pawl and adapted to hold such pawl in engagement with the corresponding ratchet and a push rod extending through a guiding opening therefor in such fixed member, extending through and encircled by such coiled spring, extending through a suitable opening therefor in the free end of such pawl and carrying a projection adapted to engage such pawl on the upper side and to be supported thereby and also extending upwardly through such shelf and through a suitable guiding member carried by such guideway and located on the under side of such shelf, whereby such pawl may be operated from the upper side of such shelf by means of such push rod.

PHILIP F. SWART.

Witnesses GEO. E. BENEDICT, Fiano. GRALEY. 

